Dossier 11: A Lighter Internet

As privileged heavy internet users in the Global North we Zoom through the day and Netflix and chill at night. We always want more pixels and a higher resolution, while a lighter internet—by that we mean less data, low resolution or low tech —is not only better for the environment, it also reduces the digital divide. In this dossier we discover the possibilities and importance of a lighter internet. Saratu Abiola researches if the blockchain can make the internet more inclusive. Guus Hoeberechts speaks with Innocent Ekejiuba and Ingrid Kopp about how to design for a lighter internet. Lilian Stolk interviews Andres Colmenares about the interconnection between the environmental emergency and social injustice. And Margarita Osipian interviewed eight contributors to the Small File Media Festival who show the beauty and potential in low resolutions and tiny media.